JD2 or JMR benders and notchers?

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So, I'm pickup up a bender this month in order to do some rollcage work and I was wondering if anyone had any opinions between the JD2 and JMR benders.  I'll probably be dealing with a maximum diameter of 1 1/4" pipe with a wall thickness of 0.125.  So from a model standpoint, both the JD2 Model 3 and the JMR bender seem to meet my needs.  One option I was looking at was to go with the JD2 Model 32 since it offers me the ability to step up to 2.5" OD pipe and up to a 0.250 wall thickness later on if I needed to.The JD2 Model 3 which seems to be comparable in capabilities to the JMR is listed at $295, while the JMR is listed at $495.  The JD2 Model 32 lists at $395 and seems to have a greater capability than the JMR.  I'm wondering if the additional money spent on the JMR provides me something above the JD2 Model 3.I'm also looking at the JD2 Notch Master notching tool...I also don't know how much better the JMR TN-1000 is in relation to the JD2 notch master, although I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay the additional $346 for the JMR over the JD2 notchmaster unless there were some really glaring problems with the JD2 notchmaster.Thanks in advance for any input you guys have.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:i have a jd notcher and its real nice for under $300as for benders i have a shop outfitters 20/20 its nice but i would go with hossfeld next time Attached Images
Reply:I have a JD2 Model 3 that I have been using for more than a decade. It has never let me down and I've built a ton of cages, bumpers, etc...I have a plethora of dies from 1/2" to 2" in various radii and have bent everything from Aluminum, mild steel, 4130, and Stainless.I also have the JMR TN-1000 notcher. I used to have the JD2 TN-100 but it was no comparison to the TN-1000 from JMR. The capabilities of the JMR and quality are awesome.I have never used a JMR bender but if it's anything like their notcher, I would guess that it's very nice.http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:I have a JD2 Model 3 and I like it pretty good.  Does everything I ask it too within limits of the dies.  The JMR notcher is better I think than the JD2, but it is a preference thing for me.  I found a place that is doing free shipping on JD2 which saves a bunch.  Place is called Metal By The Foot and they do a pretty good job getting it out to you quick and have a deal on freight tha helps a lot.  Just my .02BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Thanks for the input guys.  I think I'll end up going with the JD2 Model 32 (I think the additional capacity may be useful in the future and from what I can tell it will do a better job with thin wall tubing) and the JD2 Notch Master.  From what I can tell, that combination will do pretty much anything I'll need it to do and will allow for some expansion in capabilities in the future.Thanks again for the input.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Thank you for considering our products, I think their might be some confusion about the capacity of our manual bender.  It is 2.5".  As far as features ours is the only bender on the market made from heat treated and blanchard ground alloy steel, Has aluminum bronze bushings at the main pivot point, roller bearings on the linkage arm, and has 3 speeds.  Our manual bender uses the same arms, pins, accessories as our air/electric hydraulic benders and can be upgraded at any point.  Our dies are the only ones made from heat treated tool steel and have a lifetime warranty.  The TN1000 is the most versatile, highest quality tube notcher on the market!  We offer a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied.  We are willing to put our money where our mouth is and offer the manual bender to you for $395.  Give us a call to discuss more benefits and features of our products, no matter which product you decide to purchase.805-239-5972JMR's innovative product line is developed by fabricators with many years of real world experience enabling us to provide features not found on other products.PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA!
Reply:I have used both the JMR, and the JD2 benders. Manual units, they are about equal. As for capacity; I can bend .120 wall 2" 4130 myself without too much effort. I have had friends and helpers who needed a cheater bar to bend the stuff. FWIW, I can' t IMAGINE trying to manual 2-1/2" 4130. The JD2 has been solid, no complaints.As for the notcher, the JMR is better than the JDsquared, especially if you are looking at repeatability and production use. I own the JD squared, and wish I had the JMR. Don't get me wrong, the JD TN100 is a good tool. The JMR is just plain ole better.First chance I get on a JMR notcher at a good price, I am grabbing it.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Originally Posted by JMRMFGThank you for considering our products, I think their might be some confusion about the capacity of our manual bender.  It is 2.5".  As far as features ours is the only bender on the market made from heat treated and blanchard ground alloy steel, Has aluminum bronze bushings at the main pivot point, roller bearings on the linkage arm, and has 3 speeds.  Our manual bender uses the same arms, pins, accessories as our air/electric hydraulic benders and can be upgraded at any point.  Our dies are the only ones made from heat treated tool steel and have a lifetime warranty.  The TN1000 is the most versatile, highest quality tube notcher on the market!  We offer a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied.  We are willing to put our money where our mouth is and offer the manual bender to you for $395.  Give us a call to discuss more benefits and features of our products, no matter which product you decide to purchase.805-239-5972JMR's innovative product line is developed by fabricators with many years of real world experience enabling us to provide features not found on other products.PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA!
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloHey, glad to see you on the forum! Does a guy named Elliot work for you that has an UNREAL Chevy offroad project truck??? He was working for a bender/ die maker. I coulda swore it was JMR.
Reply:Originally Posted by JMRMFGElliot worked for us until we moved out of Simi Valley.  He went to work for Foutz Motorsports building/designing trophy trucks.  We still build parts/trucks when we can find the time. On the front page of our site jmrmfg.com you can see a new Pro-4 that we building. Thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by JMRMFGThank you for considering our products, I think their might be some confusion about the capacity of our manual bender.  It is 2.5".  As far as features ours is the only bender on the market made from heat treated and blanchard ground alloy steel, Has aluminum bronze bushings at the main pivot point, roller bearings on the linkage arm, and has 3 speeds.  Our manual bender uses the same arms, pins, accessories as our air/electric hydraulic benders and can be upgraded at any point.  Our dies are the only ones made from heat treated tool steel and have a lifetime warranty.  The TN1000 is the most versatile, highest quality tube notcher on the market!  We offer a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied.  We are willing to put our money where our mouth is and offer the manual bender to you for $395.  Give us a call to discuss more benefits and features of our products, no matter which product you decide to purchase.805-239-5972JMR's innovative product line is developed by fabricators with many years of real world experience enabling us to provide features not found on other products.PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA!
Reply:where we set upsounds like a sales pitch
Reply:Originally Posted by ed macwhere we set upsounds like a sales pitch
Reply:ummm...no setup from my side.  I was just trying to figure out what bender I should get.  The fact that JMR came through and offered what they have offered has made up my mind for me.  I'm actually very impressed...I just expected to get a run down of which works and what doesn't for what I needed to do (while of course being cost effective for me...I'm not a production facility and I don't have production facility money to put into alot of my tools).--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:I am currently trying to decide between the JD2 32 and the protools 105HD and now gott throw in the JMR, goodness I got on here to help me make a decision and now I got more options.  Hypertherm PM 1000 on a CNC TableMiller Maxtron 450 - S52A series feederHobart Handler Lincoln 155 (my sons he's 11)looking to sell or Trade a RFC-23A foot pedalCustom diesel parts fabricator
Reply:I've got JD2 stuff but Dan does a great job supporting customers and the tools are really stout.  I built the last car with a Notchmaster and it was great.  I like it much better than a TN100.  However, I found that I needed to be able to cut around the tubing from opposite sides and notch on bends.  The car I'm starting for next season is more of the same.  I was able to work around it with some creative tooling but much of it was hit and miss.  At this point I would look at either the new Baileigh or the JMR.  What I'll probably do to save a bit of dough as it's tight around here right now, is pick up a Notching Buddy from Medford Tool that is a fixture/vise to add to the Notchmaster to notch on a bend.
Reply:Originally Posted by rbmedic75I am currently trying to decide between the JD2 32 and the protools 105HD and now gott throw in the JMR, goodness I got on here to help me make a decision and now I got more options.
Reply:Originally Posted by wintermuteThat is an awsome offer!   I'll take you up on that.  Let me get everything setup on my end and I'll give you a call.  I really appreciate the offer and can't wait to get the bender in.  Thanks again.--Wintermute
Reply:The JMR notcher is the best but it's expensive. If you want a cheaper one look at the pro-tools.  After reading that comparision. I suggest getting either the Pro-tools or JMR bender and buying pro-tools dies.I have a model 105HD and it has served me well.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:Examples of the Notch quality using my JMR TN-1000Worth every penny.http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Tight notches make for consistent, quality welds....http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:ZTFab Thanks we always like seeing clean work no matter what tools are used. Give us a call and we will send you a JMR NotchRite  Tube saw so you can tell us tell us what you think. Here is a Pro-4 chassis that we built using less then $1400 in tools(man bender/1.75" die tube notcher and 1 Tube saw).   thanks Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabExamples of the Notch quality using my JMR TN-1000Worth every penny.
Reply:Originally Posted by ed macwhere we set upsounds like a sales pitch
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloYou lie; those were done with a grinder while sitting on your garage floor with a beer in one hand.......Originally Posted by ZTFabYou're mistaken....The notching was done on my JMR notcher....The WELDING was done while sitting on my garage floor with a beer in one hand!!
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabTight notches make for consistent, quality welds....
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabSounds like a manufacturer of outstanding Fabrication equipment has shown us what good ole customer Service is about and offered their products at a great price with a guarantee to boot.I say hats off to JMR for making quality, USA made fabrication tools and having the guts to back it up like it should be done.
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabTight notches make for consistent, quality welds....
Reply:Originally Posted by ed maci think they make great tools it just sounded like a add and thats ok
Reply:Originally Posted by JMRMFGZTFab, I showed these pics to to Jim (the owner) and told the everybody to come see them and told us "guys like this are the reason we spend as much time as we do the making our products the best" Very nice work!
Reply:I'm not quite to the point of purchasing a new tubing bender or notcher, but I can honestly say, that when the time comes, this post alone may very well have made my choice for me.Who is John Galt?
Reply:Originally Posted by bassboy1I'm not quite to the point of purchasing a new tubing bender or notcher, but I can honestly say, that when the time comes, this post alone may very well have made my choice for me.
Reply:Dan,I ordered my bender from you guys yesterday.  I just wanted to thank you personally for the awsome service.  This thread, my experience ordering, the professionalism your company shows, etc... is impressive.  I sincerely appreciate you responding in here and making the offer you've made.  I can't wait for my new bender to show up --Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:I wish I had read this thread before I ordered the JD2 bender,  I would of hands down gone for the JMR after reading this.  I got the man. jd2 bender and a 1.5" die with  a 5.5 rad.  I had it for a while now, and finally got my slab poured and stand built.  Through some tube in there and bent a 90 elbow to use as a template, checked it out and it has a 6.5 rad.  I looked at the die again and it sure enough is stamped 5.5.  I had a friend measure it as well and he got 6.5.   What a hassle, now I got to callem up and see if they will correct the die problem because now it is used and been a while since I got it.  Ill let you know how the customer service is over there when I call.
Reply:Well, I can tell you, I got my JMR bender in and it's apparent just looking at it when it showed up that the quality is the top.  The fit and finish is as smooth as one of my custom pistols, and it is built like a tank.  Great customer service from JMR, great quality, all around just a great company....now if only they made Lathes --Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Originally Posted by justin_502I wish I had read this thread before I ordered the JD2 bender,  I would of hands down gone for the JMR after reading this.  I got the man. jd2 bender and a 1.5" die with  a 5.5 rad.  I had it for a while now, and finally got my slab poured and stand built.  Through some tube in there and bent a 90 elbow to use as a template, checked it out and it has a 6.5 rad.  I looked at the die again and it sure enough is stamped 5.5.  I had a friend measure it as well and he got 6.5.   What a hassle, now I got to callem up and see if they will correct the die problem because now it is used and been a while since I got it.  Ill let you know how the customer service is over there when I call.
Reply:This is how I measured it, and on mine it is right at 6.5.The radius matters to me when building rear bumpers.  On some they have a tight wrap around at the edge.  I kinda wanted to get what I ordered and paid for.  If they are getting $280. for a die I would expect to get the order right.  I wouldent be supprised if I went with the Woodward fab bender made in china and something like this happened but I would of saved several hundred dollars!
Reply:JustinPut your square on top of the tubing.  The photo is not a 5.5" clr. die.  What references did you when you made your mark for your template.  Marks should be made on the tubing at the edge of the die.  The first mark should be made before you begin bending.    Good luck.Last edited by tapwelder; 10-10-2010 at 02:45 AM.
Reply:Mabey I am wrong.  I thought if a bend takes 5.5 inches to complete it would be a 5.5 radius.  This is the info I was using to go by.http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html  But in one pic you can see the followbar and it looks like it says 4.5.  I could of sworn I read elsewhere he posted a 5.5.  Hopefully I am wrong so I dont got to hassle with sending it back.
Reply:I think he is just showing that two bends are matching.  That info used to be on JD2 website, I suspect it still is on there.  You have to subtract the bend from a known starting amount of tubing in order to figure out the material take up.  Or If you have the clr you calculate it. Also as in that thread.  Take your measure from the point where the tubing makes contact with the die.
Reply:CLR isn't the length of the bend, nor is is the exact radius of the bend.  It is the distance from the center of tube or pipe curvature to the centerline axis of the pipe or tubing.In this picture, the red line isn't the CLR, the green line is:This picture of one of my 6" CLR dies shows you the CLR measured on a caliper:Here is a site with more information on bending, determining the CLR, etc...http://www.hinesbending.com/common-t...-machines.htmlHope that helps.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Ohh, this may also help:http://www.bendtooling.com/bending_formulas.htmOutside radius diameter calculation is: CLR + (tube outside diameter / 2).For your die and tube (1.5OD tube with a 5.5CLR die) you end up with a 6.25" outside radius (5.5 + .75)If you wanted to get an outside radius of 5.5, you would need a 1.5" die with a 4.75 CLR (4.75 + .75)hope that helps.--WintermuteOhh, and he's probably getting a 5.5 outside radius bend off of a 4.5CLR die due to some stretch in the material during the bend (there are calculations for that as well...but it's just as well do go with rough calculation shown on the page above which gives you 1% increase for every "D" of bend).  "D" of bend is calculated as CLR / outside tube diameter.  With the 1.5" OD pipe and a 4.5CLR die, that should give a calculated outside bend radius (including stretch) of 5.4075.  That is close enough to 5.5 and with wide sharpe marks, slite inaccuracies in the marking on the pipe, etc... that it would account for his measurement of 5.5" using the square in the picture.Last edited by wintermute; 10-11-2010 at 06:17 PM."No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Here is our new notcher at the PRI show. Only notcher out there that can do this.
Reply:JMR has a new Sportsman Tube bender for those with budget in mind... It is on sale through Dec 31, 10 for $195 dollars.  Get price and it is all made here in the USA...  and still a great price.http://www.jmrmfg.com/featured-tools...n-tube-bender/"I Build Stuff"www.jmrmfg.comwww.509media.com
Reply:i just ordered on if anyone want to buy i got trikes bender i have on for sale its ashame i have more in the cost of steel than the jmr shipped for the got trikes